5 Questions: UFC 110

Never once in seven professional bouts has Cain
Velasquez been threatened when a fight has hit the mat: his
wrestling core usually leaves opponents flat and struggling more
for their own survival than his extinction. But the exact place
where Velasquez is most comfortable -- on top -- is where Antonio
Rodrigo Nogueira is his most dangerous. He may not submit
Velasquez, but the threat of it can help get him in and out of
positions that could dictate the outcome of the fight.

Will Nogueira’s experience work against
him?

Could be that Velasquez is going to be the victim of the finesse
and tactical correction provided by Nogueira’s nearly 40 trips to
the ring. But the price paid for that experience is a body that may
want to hang up its shield. Against Frank Mir,
Nogueira was downed by staph; wars with Fedor
Emelianenko and Bob Sapp
resulted in a different, more weathered fighter than we had seen
before. If anyone stands to benefit from Nogueira’s long and
painful history in MMA, it may just be Velasquez.

Will the mat be a factor in
Silva/Bisping?

Most expect Wanderlei
Silva (striker) and Michael
Bisping (striker) to resolve their fight on the feet. But one
or both men might realize their chances improve when horizontal. If
that’s the case, Bisping’s takedown defense might stall out Silva
in the clinch. If it does hit the mat, the spectacular guard work
Bisping displayed against Denis Kang
would seem to be effective enough for Silva’s so-so top game. It’s
not a fight that should turn into a jiu-jitsu match -- but it might
be more interesting if it does.

Is Mirko “Cro Cop” the UFC’s foreign
token?

For four of his six UFC bouts, Mirko “Cro
Cop” Filipovic has competed during one of the promotion’s
foreign events. Either he’s disinclined to travel to the States, or
the UFC feels he’s a significant attraction for audiences with
accents. That dependency might explain why Filipovic remains with
the company even while owning a 2-3 mark since 2007.

Durable and well-prepared courtesy of Greg Jackson, Keith
Jardine is still a fighter whose style can’t prompt too many
spilled beers. While that could be excused if his wins piled up,
he’s down two in 2009: a third straight loss against Stephan
Bonnar might provide opportunity for Zuffa to avoid a
Jackson-branded pile-up in the 205-pound division.